I took them off and added these wire leaves from the Dollar Store. LOVE THEM.

After adding the leaves, I used the twine to tie the tags on the branches.

I guess I’m a softy, because I may have gotten a little misty eyed as I hung up and read the tags.

They read as follows:

John (Dad): God, my family

Katie: My family, Time to spend together

Chloe: Jesus, my family

Luke: Food, Jesus

Joel: Things I get to learn about, Home Link (the public school homeschool site)

Zach 3 yrs: Trees, and Eva

Eva 2 yrs: My Pacifier, Zach

Other things that we talked about that made it on the tags: USA, having opportunities, friends, extended family, Eva smiles (this particularly has hit me lately, since I had a dear friend loose her 3 yr old daughter to cancer last week). Time spent with Dad (also dear to my heart, since the first two years we lived here, he was in training or in Iraq.)

I absolutely love this idea! I found you from the Pinteresting Party, I have pinned this great idea. I would love it if you came and linked this up to Raising Imperfection that I host on Sundays on my blog. http://www.violetimperfection.com

This is precious. I have a dear friend that puts up a Thankful tree each year and sends out paper leaves to friends and family to write what they are thankful for and send back to them. They put all the leaves on the tree and pray for each family at dinnertime. I think this is a wonderful tradition you are starting in your family. I’m your newest Facebook fan. Blessings to you this Thanksgiving!
Nici

Thanks Nici! I love the idea of sending out paper leaves to friends/family! The dollar store usually has thin paper leaf garland, it would be perfect for something like that! I’ll have to keep that in mind for next year!
–Katie

I think the whole room is lovely! This is what I’ve been wanting to do with a small tree we had to cut in our backyard. I figured we could decorate it for Christmas, and then later use it for Easter, Halloween, etc. The only thing is, we’d have to put ours up on a table because of my grabby little 19-month-old, who would tear it limb from limb. It’s not a willow and wouldn’t look the same, but I love how you’ve put yours in such a neat-looking planter. I’ll have to keep this in mind and keep an eye out as we are thrifting.

I love this post! I’ve just found you through the linky party. I adore the sentiment of being thankful and encouraging our children to appreciate those little things in life that are actually the big things! I especially love that your littlies were thankful for each other (heart melting!) Please do pop over to my blog as I’m new to blogging!! Thanks, J9 x

What a great idea! This would be good to do for Christmas as well. The tags could be bells, stars or Christmas trees. People could write either what they are grateful for or what they wish for someone they know, don’t know or for the world at Christmas.

About Me

I'm a wife, a sister, a daughter, a mother of 5, a Jesus lover, a coffee abuser, an obsesser of all things DIY, design and decor related.
Most of what you'll see here are ways to live inexpensively, and how I put those into practice with my constant need to renovate houses.
We are a military family of 7, so houses must come big and inexpensive, and made beautiful as we go, turning what most would see as trash, into treasure.
Thanks for stopping by, stay awhile and make yourself at home. I hope you enjoy my ideas.